Slate’s Henry Grabar reports on how the 15 month planned closure of NYC’s much used L Train for repairs (starting in April 2019) is an opportunity to prioritize 14th St. for non-vehicular transportation (meaning buses, bikes, and pedestrians). This would open it up as an alternative for L Train riders and be a demonstration project for cities around the country.

A half-century after the last commuter train ran along a 3.5-mile stretch of track connecting central Queens to the Rockaway peninsula, the fate of the badly deteriorated right of way that remains has suddenly become a hot topic.
Read more: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20121216/REAL_ESTATE/312169983#ixzz2FGNddPV7

Munich RE is an insurance company: what progressives often consider a methodical, calculating, machine using cold, heartless data to maximize profits. In a report to fellow insurance companies, Munich RE noted that the number of weather-related losses had quintupled over the past thirty years. In October, the company said, &ldquo;Nowhere in the world…

Considering how quickly subway service was restored after Sandy, and the likelihood that it could be years before another mega storm strikes, it might be better to invest in expanding and improving the transit system, Bloomberg said.